Kisses: On Ice
by Thorn on a Rose
Summary: Injuries are rife in the world of Hockey and Connie is not immune to them. Now with a concussion, her view of the world starts to tilt and she can no longer keep a lid on her feeling for her favorite goalie. Warning: femslash Julie/Connie


I decided to invade the movie arena! *evil cackle*

This story was inspired by Silver Turtle's story _Off the Ice_, which I read a long time ago and finally got around to completing my crazy idea for a Mighty Ducks fic!

I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Mighty Ducks or any of those characters.

ON WITH THE STORY!!

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**Kisses ~ On Ice**

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Connie Moreau could never take her eyes off Julie "the Cat" Gaffney when the goalie took to the ice. Just like her nickname would suggest, Julie had a powerful coiled aura about her that was prepared to pounce on the unsuspecting, both on and off the ice.

In a way, Connie felt a little envious of Julie's ability to take her confidence on ice and apply it in her everyday life. Connie always felt exposed and vulnerable every time her feet hit land once more.

Her only point of pride was that she could go against the very best on the ice and succeed. She had, in fact, gone against some of the best hockey players in the world and she had helped her team achieve victory many times.

She could go one on one with Charlie and be enough of a challenge that it would take him making his best moves to break from her and slam the puck in the goal. Their scores usually ended up with her only one or two points below him.

And while she didn't quite have Luis' speed, she could definitely outmaneuver him.

Ken was a bit more graceful on the ice than she was, but Connie was definitely ranked up there with him…and Julie.

Where Connie was a bit faster, lighter, and quicker with puck handling, Julie was more powerful and quicker with her blocking (glove and stick).

Connie couldn't keep her eyes off her.

And that was why she was currently sitting on the bench nursing a headache from the check she had received from an opponent.

----

She had been watching as Julie stopped the Wolves from scoring, feeling very proud that the only other girl on the team was one of the best goalies in the world. Nothing could get pass this golden haired girl. This Valkyrie…

Then, Julie's ice blue eyes locked with her own melted chocolate ones, and the puck was passed to her. Connie had automatically gone towards the puck so that the other team wouldn't be able to snatch it away from her team's possession, but she wasn't really paying as close attention to her surroundings as she normally would have…it was those eyes!

"Look out Connie!"

The warning came too late and the massive opponent full body slammed her into the plastic-glass partition. Luckily, she hit the puck in Charlie's direction the moment she heard Julie cry out.

Her helmet had made a sickening cracking sound against the border and her head followed. The plastic-glass partition had spider-like webs now trailing from the point of impact. The sweaty, smelly, ugly male that dared to check Connie had held her there for a moment longer before he backed up and watched, sneering, as the girl slumped down onto the ice. It wasn't more than a split second later that both Bash Bros came and made him pay for daring to hurt their female team member!

Neither boy noticed, however, that Connie hadn't gotten back up. The Ref's whistle sounded shrilly in the cavernous stadium, stopping the play with the puck in Charlie's possession, as the official sped towards the down player.

Julie got there first. Her helmet was thrown aside, her stick left at the goal, and her gloves ripped off as she thrust herself towards her best friend. Kneeling as best she could in the awkward padding of the goalie, Julie gently unlatched Connie's blue helmet and took it off to give her a better view of what damage might have been done.

A trail of red trickled sluggishly from Connie's hairline down her cheek and off her chin. Julie literally saw red. She whipped her head around to the Referee that was just arriving, still cradling Connie's head in her hands to keep the girl sitting upright, and watched with a glare as the old man reached out and touched the massive bump on the unconscious girl's head.

By this time more of the Ducks had skated over to see if Connie was alright. Charlie had to physically restrain Fulton while Russ had his hands full with Dean. Dwayne looked like he too was going to go knock some sense into the guy who checked Connie…with a hot branding iron! Luis had a hold of his arm and was rapidly speaking to him.

The Referee, after his analysis of Connie's condition, motioned a stretcher over for the blacked out girl. Julie did not let go of her the entire way to the bench area until Coach told her to return to the game.

The Ducks were vicious after that point and kept hammering the other players. Close to the end of the game Connie regained consciousness and convinced the medic that she was fine enough to sit and watch the rest of the game (and no, she was not going to play…she promised), all just in time to see Julie catch a shot and hit it back into the field before she brutally checked the guy who had tried to score.

_That girl is so beautiful…_

----

Coach came over to ask the bandaged girl if she was ok. Connie told him she was fine but she was completely out for the rest of the game due to the diagnosis of a slight concussion. She didn't tell him of the nausea that sets in whenever she moved her head to fast or how her balance isn't up to par at the moment. The medics had helped her take off her padding and skates, so she was just clad in loose pants, a t-shirt with a Ducks sweater thrown over it, and sneakers. Her shoulder length earth brown hair hung loose in a futile attempt to relieve some of the throbbing in her temples.

Connie sat there leaning against the back wall, just watching the game unfold and trying to keep her head from exploding by laying it on the wall her back was resting on.

The game whistle blew and the teams split from their positions to line up and congratulate each other for a good game, both teams barely refraining from starting a fight. Connie glanced up at the scoreboard. The Ducks won by a landslide.

Even though Averman was closer to the door that lead off the ice after the obligatory hand shake routine, Julie got there first, determined to check up on Connie. She had seen the dark haired girl slowly bring herself to the coach's box but with all the action going on, she wasn't able to take a good look.

Connie had seen Julie coming and decided to go and meet her in the hall on the way to the locker rooms. The significantly taller girl (due to the skates) was glad to see that Connie was well enough to move, albeit slowly and with her head wrapped in snow white bandages.

"Are you ok?"

Connie nodded as best she could but grabbed hold of Julie's arm when she felt a wave of dizziness strike her. Julie panicked a little and was about to call one of the guys over to help her carry Connie to the lockers with them when the shorter girl looked her in the eye with those soulful browns and said that she was ok.

"I just need to sit down soon."

Inclining her head, showing she understood, Julie let Connie lean on her arm and helped her to the locker room benches.

The guys had come in by this time and all of them surrounded the two sitting girls, inquiring as to how Connie was doing.

Connie shook her head over how overprotective her guys could be, but she smiled softly and told them that she was just fine and that if she ever went up against that boy again, he would be given flying lessons!

The guys all laughed and joked about how they were shaking in their boots over Connie's ferocious kitten scowl. She threw Averman's own glove in his face. The guys dispersed, going to their seats, changing out of their uniforms into street clothes and waiting for Coach to come in and give them all the rundown of the play today.

All except Charlie.

He knelt down and peered at the bandage taped to his childhood friend's head, softly brushing tousled silky brown locks out of her face.

"Are you really ok, Connie?"

Charlie was Connie's knight-in-shining armor ever since they were young and he continued to be so to this day. She loved him for it. But was not _in_ love with him. Nor was he in love with her. They had talked long ago about what they were to each other, and family was the answer they came up with. They looked out for each other, on and off the ice, and were there when things got rough.

Laying her hand atop of his, Connie smiled wearily.

"I'm ok, just a little dizzy…and sick to my stomach."

Charlie nodded and let it go, knowing that she would not want to be coddled. He did, however, suggest that she grab a 7-Up to settle her stomach. Connie said she would and Charlie went back to the other team members; after he had asked Julie to stay with Connie.

Connie wasn't pleased and kind of mad that he would ask her friend to act as her babysitter. She would have told him off had Julie not coolly said she would keep an eye on Connie.

"Though, I think she can take care of herself, Conway."

Charlie chuckled. The girls on his team were feisty and completely in control, always. He knew he had fun and was always honored to play hockey with them.

"I have no doubt that this pipsqueak can look after herself…just humor me."

Julie smiled as a choked sound of indignation escaped Connie and she squeaked in outrage at the nickname Charlie had given her.

"Got it Captain."

Connie watched, sullenly glaring at Charlie as he walked away then turning that pout on Julie.

"I am not a pipsqueak!"

_No, you're just too cute._

Julie didn't dare say that out loud fearing that her life would end at the hands of this little puffed up wildcat. She just smiled, hiding the increased heart rate that was a result of being hit with the pout and brought her fingers to Connie's lips, silencing her so they could hear Coach's lecture since he had just come in and began his usual after-play spiel.

Connie heard absolutely nothing. All her attention was on those lingering appendages, so warm, then on their ghostly presence that stayed even after Julie had removed her fingers.

"Alright, I want to tell you all that you did well out there today! Conway! Keep hitting those pucks like that, but don't get fancy! We just want to keep the puck in our possession, not give them a chance to steal it. Gaffney, great job blocking all those shots. Averman…"

Coach kept up his spiel but, frankly, Connie did not pay attention until she suddenly noticed that the room was quiet and all eyes were on her. A blush bloomed on her face as she quickly withdrew her hand from her lips and placed the hand on her forehead to clutch the pain from moving too fast.

"Moreau, you did well out there but I want you on the bench with me our next few games, just to be on the safe side with that knock you took."

"Ok Coach."

Satisfied that his player's noggin wasn't too jostled, despite the momentary lapse of silence, Coach turned back to the others.

Julie, on the other hand, was worried because of Connie's absentness when the Coach was talking to her. Leaning over close to the dark haired girl's ear, Julie caught Connie's immediate attention with her first whispered word.

"Hey, you really ok?"

Ice blue eyes sent a shiver up her spine as Connie turned her head to look at the still fully uniformed girl. Her voice was a little breathy when she responded, and Connie inwardly berated herself for such obvious clues to her feelings. She could only hope that Julie would blame the concussion.

"Yeah…I'm fine. Just a little, not here, I suppose."

"No kidding. I hadn't noticed."

Julie smirked as she gently nudged her teammate with her shoulder in a ribbing manner for Connie's daydreaming. Connie nudged back just a little harder. Julie would have continued this game until they were both trying to wrestle each other off the bench like they have always done after practice and games before this incident, but she didn't want to hurt her friend by accident. So, she just grinned at Connie and got up to go to the girl section of the locker room to throw on some casual clothes so she could go back to the dorms and take a shower.

While the boys have absolutely no trouble stripping down to their whitey tighties (as Connie always called their boxers), the girls have a bit more reason not to…even though seeing Averman's heart boxers was a sight no one wanted to see. Thus, the girls got the other side of the lockers hidden by the main grouping of metal containers to change near.

Connie kept seated where she was, not following Julie behind the lockers they were just leaning up against a moment ago playing. She felt that if she watched Julie slip off her jersey, pants, and padding like she usually sees after they've practiced or played a game while she had this concussion, she wouldn't just go weak at the knees. She might actually stare or say something stupid that would tip off Julie as to why her teammate always looked red after even light practices.

Rubbing her hands up and down her face in an effort to erase the mental image of the blond girl undressing while flushed with the heat of the game, Connie began muttering to herself.

"Come on Connie! You weren't this bad when you and Guy were still an item. You never get this way around other guys or girls who you had a crush on or admired… Argh! Stupid hormones!"

"They are stupid sometimes aren't they."

Connie's eyes widened comically while her head whipped around and her body tried to scoot away from the intruder. Bad idea.

"Julie! Ouch!"

Dizzy nausea overcame Connie when the back of her head hit the green metal locker she was backing into. Julie shot out her arm to catch the slumping figure and sat down next to her, lining her body up with Connie's so that if the brunette needed to be hauled to the bathroom sink, Julie had a good enough grip to help her do that.

"I'm sorry Connie! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Gulping down what remains of her already digested breakfast from earlier that morning, Connie lifted a hand to grab the one that Julie had gripped her left arm with and brought both to her throbbing forehead.

"Nice."

Julie's hand felt cool to her skin and Connie kept it pressed there with her own hand while she leaned into the other girl to try to stabilize her rocking vision. After a few moments, Julie's fingers began to move in small circles, massaging the aching pain away from her friend as best she could.

"Feel better Connie?"

Giving a bit of a sigh that this wonderful feeling replacing the ugly pain had to stop soon, Connie hummed a little before she opened her eyes and realized that they were the only two in the locker room since the others had gone back to their rooms to clean up.

Pulling away from the warm supporting figure of her crush, Connie rose slowly off the bench, all under Julie's watchful eye and helpful hand.

"I do feel better. Thank you Julie."

The goalie smiled and slung an arm under Connie's shoulders, pulling the startled girl closer in a one-armed hug.

"What are roommates for?"

Connie returned the smile with her own sweet one and threw her own arm over the top of Julie's shoulders reciprocating the embrace.

"In that case Julie, I want to order pizza delivery tonight instead of going to the cafeteria!...and take a shower!"

"That sounds good to me!"

Together, still joined at the hip, both girls made their way out of the locker room and back to the college dorm room that they shared; laughing and enjoying each other's company like they always do.

----

It had been about a week after the brutal check that had pulled her off the ice and onto the bench and Connie was getting restless watching her friends glide out on the ice without her.

She finally had an appointment with the doctor tomorrow and she was anxious to be cleared to play hockey again. Until then she had been relegated to Coach's assistant…after seven days listening to Coach rant, rave, and generally be difficult to talk calmly to when he gets riled up, Connie was definitely ready to give up this side job!

The dark haired girl had gotten offers for accompaniment to the doctors from all the guys but she told them to go shave the ice from their ears and leave her be! She wasn't a child! However, in the privacy of the room she shared with Julie, Connie had hesitantly asked the goalie if she would be willing to come with her for the check-up. Julie had smiled and told her she was planning on going with her whether Connie wanted her to or not.

"I'm just glad I didn't have to fight you the whole way if you hadn't asked me to go with you."

"Ha, ha. I so would have made your life a living hell if you had tried to!"

Julie just grinned and Connie couldn't help but return the grin. Homework waited patiently on their individual desks as the girl moved to put on warm clothing for the walk to the bus that will take them into town and, ultimately, the doctor's office.

----

The visit went very well and the doctor completely cleared Connie of any restraints on her hockey playing, making the Minnesotan girl a very happy one.

"Finally! I can get off that boring bench and play with all of you again! I can't wait to tell Coach and Charlie…whoa!"

Julie caught Connie under her flailing arms as she slid on some hidden ice that was not cleared from the sidewalk.

"Careful there, Connie. We're not quite dressed to go plowing into ice, y'know."

Regaining her balance with Julie's help, Connie shot the amused blond a scathing look.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny Gaffney!"

One ice blue eye winked and a smile appeared on Julie's face as both girls continued up the entranceway to the college and back to their dorm room.

"_I_ thought it was."

Not being able to resist, Connie threw her arms around Julie's torso, tackling her into the snow blanketed ground just off the pathway. Laughter pealed out of each girl as they rolled around in the skin-numbing snow, their coats blocking most of the white stuff from their bodies but not all of it. Especially when the wrestling became a contest to see who could make the first cry 'Uncle!' from the snow being forced down openings in clothing.

"Give it up Connie! I'm winning this round!"

"Not a chance Julie! You're the one who is going to lose!"

Her pride at stake, Connie finally got a good hold of Julie's wrists and pinned the goalie to the snow covered ground, crouching over her and breathless with triumphant laughter.

"Gotcha Gaffney!"

Julie smiled broadly and lifted an eyebrow when she saw the position they were currently engaged in. It certainly wasn't the snow that made her shiver anymore and she wanted to see Connie flustered just a bit, so the young woman from Maine teasingly flirted with her captor.

"So…what are you going to do now that you '_have_' me?"

It took Connie a moment to lose the gloating grin she was sporting and stare at Julie with wide soft chocolate eyes. But contrary to Julie's expectations of rearing back, blushing, and sputtering apologies and accusations to get rid of her embarrassment, Connie just kneeled there with the blonde's wrists still caught in her hands. And Connie seemed to get closer…a lot closer than she was before.

As if in a trance, Connie's eyes went from wide to half-lidded, and her lips parted to let her slightly more ragged breath through as she brought her body more inline with her captive's. A deep chocolate gaze fixed solely on a widening ice blue one as Connie whispered a half apology/half explanation before taking a chance on making a dream of hers come true.

"I'm sorry, but I don't quite want to let you go…just yet."

Years in their respective states and playing hockey on the ice has endeared chapstick to both girls from a very young age. No guy wants to kiss a girl whose lips are red with cold burns and peeling from the time spent outside…even if Connie didn't want to kiss a guy any more, she still liked to use her slightly vanilla flavored lip balm to soften her lips and protect them.

Suddenly vanilla wasn't her favorite flavor any more. Mint was.

Julie had freshly applied her preferred chapstick after the girl's had left the doctor's office and it hadn't had time to wear off…until now. Connie had tentatively pressed her mouth to Julie's after her response to the goalie's teasing question and was enjoying the sensation of her own dryer lips catching themselves on the balm that coated Julie's lips.

Somewhere in the back of her mind the voice of reason was trying to scream around the gag her less rational side had stuffed in Reason's mouth that this was not a good idea! But Connie refused to listen…Julie was so close…and she just couldn't resist temptation any longer.

Deciding she was going to let Julie know _exactly_ how friendly this kiss is supposed to be, Connie allowed her tongue to peek out and taste the mint that was tingling the lips it was sliding through. Julie felt the warm muscle along her electrified mouth and gave a short gasp. Reflexively, her own tongue flicked against the one that was rubbing against her lips. Both girls shared the quick intake of breath this time and when they felt the heat from their shakily exhaled air a moment later against their half frozen faces, it brought them around to the fact that they were outside in the snow and in full voyeur view of anyone that passed by.

This time, Connie did exactly as Julie had originally predicted; she rolled off her crush with a massive blush painting her cheeks an alarming shade of red and she stuttered nonsense while keeping her eyes on anything other than the slowly sitting up goalie.

"I-I-I'm s-so _sorry_! I-I don't…know w-what came over me! Pleaseforgiveme!"

Before Julie could properly sit upright, Connie was already on her feet and making a beeline for the dorms. Julie wasted only a second to gather what was left of her wits before she took off sprinting after Connie, determined to find out what exactly Connie had meant with that kiss and to tell the fleeing girl her own feelings on the subject.

Neither girl were track stars but in order to move so effortlessly on the ice as they do, a lot of practice and running was a must to build up their speed and endurance for the grueling game they played. Connie had a great head start but Julie was gaining fast.

The hallways weren't clear but that did not stop either girl from weaving in between obstacles or clearing trashcans when there was no space to squeeze through between fellow students. The stairs came quickly and Connie dashed up them two at a time, Julie hot on her tail calling out for her to wait despite all the curious eyes that followed the path of both girls.

Whispers and talk began to circulate as to why the two hockey girls were running from or chasing the other. Julie heard one rude comment about how 'Moreau probably got dumped again and was going off to cry in her room' and almost stopped to rectify the sneering jerk's assumption but she had more pressing matters to attend too…she knew who the joker was anyway and would recruit Fulton and Dean later to deal with him.

Connie finally reached the 4th floor of her dormitory where her room (and Julie's) was located but as she neared her goal, she almost burst into tears when she remembered that she and her roommate had locked the door after they left for the doctor's appointment. She knew she didn't have time to dig her keys out of her pocket, unlock the door, and get to the bathroom then lock that door before Julie was upon her. But she didn't know where else to go since the boys' dorms were in another building and the guys weren't necessarily there at the moment anyway having gone out to play pool at the Student Center on campus; and Connie had no girl friends to go to…Julie was her best and only girl friend because the others thought that playing hockey with the guys made her too weird to be around.

So the brunette thrust her hand into her pocket as she kept running towards her room and brought the keys, jingling merrily, out and jabbed the room key towards the keyhole.

"AARRGGHH!"

She absolutely hated her life right now! The stupid lock that refused to turn unless you jiggle the key and doorknob at the same time was mocking her and she could hear the quick leaping footsteps echo closer in the stairwell warning Connie that Julie was almost here. With a desperate tug, wiggle, and firm turn, the door was unlocked and open. Forgetting about her keys still dangling from the door handle, Connie made a mad leap over the threshold and towards the empty bathroom.

'_I'm going to make it!_'

But fate had different ideas and could be horribly unfair at moments. While Connie was wrestling with the door lock, Julie had enough time to gain on her and indeed caught her in the midst of her leap to safety towards the whitewashed bathroom. Unfortunately, Julie had to dive for her fleeing friend in order to nab her, meaning that neither girl had her feet on the ground and they were falling swiftly thanks to gravity and momentum. Luckily, Julie had aimed for her bed when she had tackled Connie and snagged her on her way to the relative soft landing that her bed should provide. The last thing Julie wanted was to give Connie another concussion.

The bed let out a horrible screech as its wooden legs were dragged across the cheap tile floor and a loud *bam* when it hit the wall it was parallel with. But both girls landed without any injuries even if they looked like they were just put through the spin cycle and tumbled dry with their limbs all akimbo.

Panting and breathing very hard, no words were exchanged but as Connie struggled to get out of her forced embrace with Julie, the goalie would have none of it and held the brunette tighter to her oxygen deprived body, trembling.

"Y…you're not…*deep breath* going to…run from me!"

Connie couldn't reply with anything but broken sobs and clung tighter to Julie's thick coat that was slightly damp from their time in the snow. Julie just held on and allowed her friend to calm down while she caught her own breath.

Before too long, Connie's crying stopped and her body relaxed into Julie's embrace. The blonde's breathing had returned to its normal pace and her body relaxed as well but when she moved to let Connie have a bit more space, the brunette would not let her and buried her face further into the crook of Julie's neck, needing to stay close to her friend but not wanting to face her roommate just yet. Julie chuckled at the childish attitude of the girl who boldly kissed her just a short time ago.

Her chuckles soon turned into full blown laughter at the entire situation. Connie really liked her and was the first to make a move when Julie herself was struggling with her strong attraction to this young lady who shared the love of hockey with her. Connie's still wet eyes rolled up from her position against Julie's chest and glared at the laughing girl…until she couldn't hold her own mirth in and joined her roommate in her jollies, laughing as much at the fact that Julie was laughing as in relief over her own actions.

Their shared mirth relaxed both girls even further and Connie could now look Julie in the eye. Julie smiled gently when Connie met her gaze and tightened her arm around the slender waist still in her grasp.

"Y'know…I remember when I first met the Ducks. *snicker* I wasn't impressed with any of the guys at all. They were immature and cocky with their abilities…"

Connie interrupted Julie for a moment, amending her last statement.

"You mean, they were immature and thought they could get that puck past you. And you did not like the fact that over half of them immediately began flirting with you before they took your skill seriously."

Julie shook her head a bit with a wry smile at how accurate Connie assessed her real words.

"Yeah, pretty much. But then, I saw this girl guarded so fiercely by all of them. Guy was on one side while Charlie was on the other and Averman had your back. All the other guys made a loose circle around you. I was intrigued, Connie. You seemed so delicate, almost _too_ delicate to play this game. But I quickly changed my mind when Coach Bombay had you try to score against me when he wanted to see my goalie skills."

Julie bent her top arm at the elbow so that she could still rest it against Connie's side while she raised her hand to cup the brunette's right cheek.

"Connie, it took everything I had at that point in time to make _sure_ you could not score. And you know I'm not a push over as goalie. After that team practice, I grabbed Charlie and asked him to take shots at me because I figured if you were that good then I had to find the extent of my new Captain's ability."

Stroking the snow white cheek, Julie knocked foreheads lightly with Connie and chuckled.

"He wasn't as good as you were. Close, but I could tell you had practiced more than any of them to keep yourself at the top of your game. Sure, the boys had more powerful shots, but you knew how to _place_ the puck. You never hit it not knowing where it was going. That more than anything caught my attention. I was determined to be the best goalie I could possibly be, not because of any contract or sense of pride, but because you deserved my best so that _you_ could continue to improve with me."

Connie's face was slack with surprise and astonishment. Julie thought that highly of her? A blush bloomed across her cheeks and nose, receiving a smile and slight dusting of red on Julie's cheeks in response. Icy blue eyes were as warm as ever as Julie kept her forehead against Connie's.

"I only figured out later that I was crushing on you."

Connie's gasp was audible and a glimmer of hope could be seen in her eyes which were locked so intensely on Julie that the blonde felt her skin heat wherever the girl's eyes wandered as she continued explaining something she should have told Connie long ago.

"It took that thug from Ireland smashing into you during our final game with them that shoved into my face how much you meant and still mean to me. I had never before felt such rage on behalf of another teammate. We play hockey, so it is expected that we would get checked at some point in every game we would play. But when I saw him coming towards you I almost joined Dwayne out there on the ice."

Julie smirked wickedly thinking of what she had wanted to do to that neanderthal that had dared to come solely after her best friend.

"Except I wouldn't have roped him…I would have pile drived him so far into the ice he would have been halfway home to Iceland before I was finished with him."

The mental image Julie's threat conjured had Connie breathlessly laughing. She remembered Julie's concerned voice at a timeout quietly asking her if she was ok. The blonde's sincerity warmed Connie from head to toe and she gave the goalie a thumbs up and reminded her best friend that she was a Duck and therefore nothing could keep her down for long. Julie had nodded and then smiled while pulling her into a bear hug which Connie wholeheartedly returned.

As she finished laughing, Connie shyly brushed her right hand against Julie's own that was still holding her cheek so gently.

"I remember all of that because…you caught my attention right away too. I was so happy when you said you wanted to be friends with me that I'm afraid Charlie would have found out about my crush before I actually did if he didn't already have so much to distract him; I talked nonstop about how cool or funny you were and how having you on the team was the greatest thing ever to happen to me. Even though I was with Guy at the time, I never stopped thinking about you and whenever you called to see if I wanted to go out and do something with you, I would instantly drop everything for the day just to spend time with you. And after Guy and I broke up a short time ago, I wasn't as devastated as I probably would have been had it not been for your presence and my feelings for you…"

Taking a deep breath and flushing more when she realized that she was rambling, Connie trailed her hand over Julie's arm up to her neck to finally rest on the blonde's cheek, mirroring the one that was still lingering against her own.

'_Now or never Moreau!_'

One more fortifying breath later saw Connie lip locked with Julie. There was that taste of mint again and the sensation of heated liquid pooling in her belly. Julie was feeling much of the same except her spine was almost bowed in half at the electricity that arched up and down her spine from Connie's kiss.

Before she would let things go too far, Connie broke the contact and stared into Julie's heavy lidded eyes with her own.

"I love you Julie Gaffney."

The words spoken so softly but with the steel firmness she knew Connie had for a will, penetrated the haze of arousal that clouded her hearing and shot another spear of awareness through her body before she could respond in kind.

"And I love you Connie Moreau."

Happy did not even begin to cover the ecstasy Connie felt at those words and accompanying caresses that managed to be felt even through the many layers she had put on to beat the cold outside. Tears fell from her eyes and watery laughter bubbled up from deep within. Julie, too, was teary eyed and giggling as she continued trailing her hands lightly over whatever part of Connie's body she could reach.

This time, Julie initiated the kiss and it lasted far longer than the first two had. Without pulling away, Connie began to take off gloves and scarves and hats from both herself and the young woman still kissing her. Dexterity returned, zippers and buttons were once more accessible as evident by Connie's ability to wiggle out of her zipped jacket. Julie rose up to her knees and straddled Connie around the thighs, shrugging out of her puffy winter coat and gripping the bottom hem of her sweater before pulling up in one smooth motion to reveal a simple white t-shirt underneath. Both garments fell to the floor and were promptly forgotten. The rest of their clothing began to disappear from their heated bodies exposing more and more skin to the chilled air and hot, seeking fingers.

Connie ground out a soundless moan in her chest as her already dark eyes grew darker at the beautiful image posed above her. Her hand, gloveless now, unerringly found the tie that kept the blonde's locks pulled back in a ponytail and removed it. In a cascade of tangles and waves, Julie's hair slid from its usual up-do and fell to frame her face. Light blue eyes got closer as Julie leaned down to capture Connie's lips again and again in teasing little kisses between smiles.

"You (kiss) do realize (kiss) that (kiss) (kiss) our door is still (kiss) (kiss) (kiss) open (kiss)."

"Huh…? Open? Door?"

Connie's eyes, which had been hazed with love, cleared very quickly and took on a panicked gleam as those two words finally sunk in past the barrier of Julie's ministrations on her senses.

"Oh My God! Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"

Julie watched in awe as Connie bodily lifted the goalie above then to the side of her own body, laughing as the brunette slid out of the rumpled bed with only her jeans still on (unbuttoned as they were). The frantic hockey player launched herself at the open dorm door, slamming it shut and twisting the bolt lever to lock it before putting her back to the hard oak paneling and sliding down, relieved, to land on the tile floor in a slump.

Running her fingers through her own undone ponytail, Connie glared half-heartedly at the laughing blonde rolling, partially naked herself, on top of the blue covers of Connie's bed. But she couldn't keep the glare above a certain exasperation level before she lost it completely and began giggling with her roommate.

Their mirth abated after a moment or two, leaving behind shy smiling lips and blushing cheeks.

Connie slowly rose to her feet from her relieved slump on the floor and sauntered over to where Julie was lying on her side gazing at her. Reaching the bedside, Connie's legs folded until she was kneeling and resting her tilted head upon her right arm, facing Julie. Her left hand trailed in an outline pattern around the creases Julie's body made in the bed, once in a while fluttering her fingers against bare skin or smooth denim. Sometimes Connie's eyes were locked with Julie's, and sometimes they followed her trailing hands.

_I almost can't believe it…my God, she is gorgeous…_

Julie's eyelids flickered almost closed every time Connie's chilled fingers met her overheated flesh along her belly or arm. She loved this phantom touch and wanted to reciprocate. Without moving too much, seeing as they were that close to each other, Julie extended her neck and connected her lips to the ones waiting ever so patiently for her to initiate contact once more.

They parted on a sigh and a yearning for more.

"You do realize we will have to tell the boys at some point in the near future. Otherwise Dwayne or Averman might be tempted to give into their boyish desires and ask you out."

Pecking Connie on the nose, Julie continued with a mock-frown on her face.

"I would have to take measures if that happened…a certain pair of heart boxers flying from the goal post during a game…a certain cowboy hat used as a hockey puck…that's it, keep laughing. I can come up with a ton more ways to express my displeasure should any of the boys try to ask you out now that you and I are together."

Connie's laughter did not abruptly stop but it did taper off enough for her to respond.

"Silly goalie, you're assuming I would say 'yes' to their offers of dating."

The smaller girl took charge this time and began the bout of kissing all over again, adding in a quick detour to nibble on the shell of Julie's exposed ear. A shiver tingled from the point of connection all the way through the blonde's body. An intense intake of breath was Julie's only other visible reaction to Connie's caress. Then came the hot air from between the brunette's lips over the sensitive patch of skin behind Julie's ear.

"We are really together…lovers? I, I don't want to be…just friends with side benefits again…it hurts too much."

The uncertain waver in Connie's soft voice caused Julie to curse how callously Guy had handled his relationship with the petite young woman. She would not be making the same mistakes he had in treating Connie as a convenient date and partner if there was no 'hotter' chick around to capture his attention. The goalie had always thought Guy was an idiot for even believing there could be anyone more beautiful than this girl in front of her…and now that she had the chance, Julie was going to spend the rest of her life proving it if Connie let her.

Sitting up after Connie had moved her head away to look at her, Julie reached out to her still kneeling friend (_Hopefully more soon_) and drew her into an embrace. With her back to the wall and legs spread enough for Connie to sit comfortably between them, Julie nuzzled the unruly soft brown hair that fell in layers over Connie's shoulders and planted kisses against her head.

"I love you Connie, I would be proud to stay by your side in all ways. You _are_ my friend and will always be, but now, we have become something further – beyond that boundary, and I consider you my girlfriend, my lover."

Turning Connie's head with a gentle touch of her fingers under the other girl's chin, Julie saw tears and a smile that brought forth her own.

"If you want I will announce the change in our relationship to the entire hockey world the next time we have a game."

More tears appeared but the smile turned into a grin and a bubbling chuckle as Connie shook from the many emotions that swamped her small frame.

"Hahaha…oh, I can just see the boys…hahahaha….Averman….hahahaha…Charlie!"

Julie let out a bark of laughter at Connie's words. The boys would be so floored they wouldn't be able to play at all… "Ahahahaha!"

Calming down, the native Minnesota girl could only press kiss after kiss to Julie's face and lips as she thanked her teammate for the offer but just hearing Julie proclaim her determination to be her girlfriend was enough.

"Thank you Julie…I _suppose_ I like you too."

"Cheeky…"

"Hahahahaha!"

"Come here you!"

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Supper completely slipped their minds and the girls spent the rest of the day, indeed the entirety of the weekend they had left, together. There were moments where small arguments would intercede in their lives but for every time they fought, the make-up was sweeter and filled with tender touches and apologies. The boys eventually were told the truth (more like they walked in on the girls one day after practice) and while some were disappointed that they didn't have a chance with either of their very beautiful teammates, they were all very happy that their girls found happiness.

Julie never needed to proclaim from the rooftops or goal post her love and desire for Connie because every gesture and word exchanged between them shouted it to any who cared to see that they were head-over-skates in love. And to think, it all started with a concussion on the ice.

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**The End**

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Hoped you all liked this!!

Read and Review Please!

ToaR


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